Joseph Orville Butcher | |
|---|---|
 MG Joseph O. Butcher, USMC | |
| Born | (1912-09-16)September 16, 1912 |
| Died | February 15, 1988(1988-02-15) (aged 75) |
| Buried | Rose Hill Cemetery, Indiana |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Service years | 1935–1968 |
| Rank | Major general |
| Service number | 0-5320 |
| Commands | Camp Lejeune Marine Supply Center Albany Marine Corps Institute |
| Conflicts | World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Joint Service Commendation Medal Navy Commendation Medal |
Joseph Orville Butcher (September 16, 1912 – February 15, 1988) was decorated officer of theUnited States Marine Corps who reached the rank ofmajor general. He spent his career mostly inQuartermaster Department of the Marine Corps beginning in the field assignments duringWorld War II. Butcher later served as commanding general,Marine Corps Supply Center Albany and also Assistant Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps and deputy to Major GeneralChester R. Allen.[1][2]
Joseph O. Butcher was born on September 16, 1912, inBloomington, Indiana, as the son of Orville and Ella Butcher. Upon the graduation from the high school, he enrolled theIndiana University in Bloomington and graduated withBachelor of Arts degree in June 1936. While at the university, Butcher completed the advanced training with the ArmyReserve Officers' Training Corps unit and was commissioned Reserve Second lieutenant in June 1935.[1]
However Butcher resigned his reserve commission in order to accept appointment as second lieutenant in the Marine Corps on July 7, 1936, and was subsequently ordered tothe Basic School atPhiladelphia Navy Yard for further officer training. He completed the school in April 1937 and was attached to the Marine detachment aboard the battleshipUSSArkansas which participated in themidshipmen training cruises in the Western Atlantic.[1]
His tour of sea duty ended in September 1938 and Butcher was transferred toWashington, D.C., for duties with localMarine Barracks. During his time there, he also served as editor and publisher forLeatherneck Magazine. Butcher spent almost three years there and served also as Post Exchange officer and commanding officer of theMarine Corps Institute. He was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant in July 1939 and took part in the temporary duty with the Marine Guard Detachment atLittle White House inWarm Springs, Georgia – the personal retreat of PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt.[1]
In June 1941, Butcher was transferred to theMarine Corps Air Station, Quantico for duty as station quartermaster. While in this capacity, he was promoted to the rank of captain in June 1942 and to major in August of that year.[1]
Butcher was transferred toCamp Lejeune,North Carolina in October 1942 and appointed adjutant and executive officer of Quartermaster School, Fleet Marine Force Training Center. He received promotion to lieutenant colonel in March 1944 and subsequently was ordered overseas in October of that year.[1]
He was ordered toPearl Harbor,Hawaii and appointed officer in charge of General Supply Section, Supply Division of Service Command,Fleet Marine Force, Pacific under Major GeneralEarl C. Long. In this capacity, he was co-responsible for the supply, salvage, evacuation, construction, personnel management, quartering and sanitation needs of all FMFPac units and others marine units in its area.[3]
While in this capacity, Butcher took part in the Iwo Jima and Okinawa operations and receivedNavy Commendation Medal for his service. He was transferred to the staff ofUnited States Army Forces, Western Pacific under GeneralDouglas MacArthur and assumed duty as Marine logistics officer of the Provisional Marine detachment. His unit participated in the preparation for theInvasion to Japan, but it was cancelled following thesurrender of Japan in August 1945.[1]
Butcher then returned to Pearl Harbor for service with Service Command and served as assistant operations officer until February 1946. He subsequently assumed duty aseditor-in-chief ofLeatherneck Magazine inWashington, D.C., and remained in this capacity until August of that year.[1]
He was then appointed executive officer, Division of Public Information atHeadquarters Marine Corps and served under Brigadier GeneralWilliam E. Riley until August 1947, when he was ordered for the instruction atIndustrial College of the Armed Forces. Butcher graduated in June 1948 and served as supply officer and assistant head, Material Section,Division of Aviation at Headquarters Marine Corps.[1]
In July 1951, Butcher was transferred toCalifornia and assumed duty as depot supply officer,Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego under Major GeneralWilliam T. Clement. For his new assignment, he was promoted to the rank of colonel in November of that year.
However, due to his previous experiences with supplying of Marine Aviation units, Butcher was transferred toKorea in May 1954 and served as wing supply officer,1st Marine Aircraft Wing under Major GeneralVerne J. McCaul. The truce was already in effect and Butcher saw no combat while in Far East. He returned to the United States in May 1955 and following a brief leave at home, he assumed duty as director, Material Division withinMarine Corps Supply Center, Barstow,California.[1]
In August 1957, Butcher served as chief of staff of the center under Brigadier GeneralRalph B. DeWitt until he was ordered to Camp Lejeune in September 1958 as commanding officer, Marine Corps Supply Schools. After two years there, Butcher was transferred tothe Pentagon and served in the Office of Supply Management Policy, Office of theAssistant Secretary of Defense (Supply and Logistics).[1]
Upon his promotion to the rank of brigadier general in July 1961, he was appointed assistant to Quartermaster General of the Marine Corps,Chester R. Allen. In this capacity, Butcher was co-responsible for the support of development, production, acquisition, and sustainment of general supply,Mortuary Affairs,subsistences,petroleum andwater, material and distribution management during peace and war to provide combat power to the U.S. Marine Corps units. He left Washington in September 1962 and assumed command ofMarine Corps Supply Center Albany,Georgia.[1]
In January 1964, Butcher assumed command ofMarine Corps Supply Activity inPhiladelphia and served in this capacity until his promotion to the rank ofmajor general on February 28, 1966. He was then ordered back to Korea and participated in the peace negotiations with Chinese and North Koreans atPanmunjom as senior member,Military Armistice Commission. For his service during the supervision ofKorean Armistice Agreement and other duties, Butcher was decorated withJoint Service Commendation Medal.[1]
Butcher returned to the United States in November 1966 and assumed his final duties as commanding general,Camp Lejeune,North Carolina. He commanded the base during the early phase ofVietnam War and was responsible for the training of new marine recruits and other units, which was later deployed inVietnam. Butcher served in this capacity until September 30, 1968, when he was relieved by Major GeneralRathvon M. Tompkins and subsequently retired from active service. He was decorated with theLegion of Merit for his service at Camp Lejeune.[1]
Following his retirement from the Marine Corps after 33 years of commissioned service, Butcher settled inIndiana and worked in executive position within Indiana University Foundation. He served as director of Indiana University Sesquicentennial Campaign and received the university's Distinguished Alumni Service Award. Butcher later served as special projects coordinator and president of alumni association and remained in this capacities until his death on February 15, 1988, inIndianapolis.[4]
He was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery inBloomington, Indiana, together with his wife, former Jane Bayer of Indianapolis. They had one son, John O. Butcher who served in the Marine Corps as Reserve Officer. In 1992, Joseph O. Butcher was inducted to theMonroe County Hall of fame.
Here is the ribbon bar of Major General Joseph O. Butcher:
 | |||
 |  |  | |
 |  |   | |
 |  |  | |
 |  | .svg) | |
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Commanding General of theCamp Lejeune December 12, 1966 - September 30, 1968 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commanding General of theMarine Corps Supply Center Albany September 1, 1962 - December 31, 1963 | Succeeded by |
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Marine Corps.